Hello, I’m Emma, and welcome to my little corner of the internet.

I started this blog back in 2018 to share my love of travel and to show that it’s possible to see the world while holding down a full-time job. Most of us can’t (and don’t want to) pack it all in to travel indefinitely, but that doesn’t mean we have to give up on our travel dreams. You don’t need endless time off to travel – just a bit of planning and a sense of adventure.

What you’ll find here

Here on emmaonline I write for people like me who love to travel but also have jobs, commitments and limited time off to fit it all in. On my site you’ll find cruise reviews, travel tips and real-life advice to help you make the most of your holidays.

I also share what I’ve learned from travelling solo, both on land and at sea, from long-haul adventures across Australia and Asia to cruises and everything in between. Whether it’s how to meet people on board a cruise ship or simply enjoy your own company, I hope my experiences help others feel more confident about travelling solo. And after everything that’s happened to me over the past few years, I also hope to show that there is life and adventure after cancer.

After all, we only get one shot at this life thing (as far as we know), so we might as well make it count.

About me

Travel has been a big part of my life for as long as I can remember. I still remember the excitement of thinking I’d been picked for a school trip on a Mediterranean cruise, only to be crushingly disappointed when it turned out the letter had been given to the wrong year group.

I didn’t let it put me off though, and in my twenties I packed up my suitcase-style backpack and set off on a ten-month adventure across Australia and New Zealand. Since then, I’ve squeezed in as much travel as I can around my annual leave, from city breaks in Europe to longer trips to Asia, the US and beyond. I’ve also combined travel with another passion of mine, live music, following my favourite bands to cities around the world.

In 2020 life threw a few curveballs. I was just about to head off to Japan for the adventure of a lifetime when Covid hit and the world went into lockdown. And just as things started to reopen, I was diagnosed with breast cancer. Ten months of treatment followed, and one of the ways I coped was by planning future travels, including rearranging my much-anticipated Norwegian Fjords cruise that had been postponed because of the pandemic.

Once treatment finished, I took my first cruise, a UK staycation with P&O Cruises, and was instantly hooked. Cruising quickly became my new favourite way to travel.

Just as I was starting to tick destinations off my bucket list, I faced a second breast cancer diagnosis in 2023. Another year of treatment meant putting travel plans on hold again, though I did manage to squeeze in a short Cunard cruise before it all started, which was a much-needed boost before getting back on the rollercoaster.

Now I’m out of treatment for the second time and looking firmly ahead. I’m slowly working through my ever-growing list of cruises and dream destinations, including an Alaska cruise and a return to Norway planned for next year. I’m also focused on continuing to grow this blog and help others discover the joy of travel, especially cruising.

A few of my favourites

Countries: Australia, Japan, Norway
Cities: Sydney, Tokyo, Washington DC
Favourite experiences: Spending New Year’s Eve in Sydney, cruising the Norwegian Fjords, meeting a Geisha in Japan, dolphin and whale watching in Australia and New Zealand.

Thanks for stopping by

If you’ve read this far, thank you! I hope my stories, tips and reviews inspire you to plan your next adventure, whether that’s a cruise, a weekend away or a long-haul trip of a lifetime.

If you’d like to follow along with my latest travels, you’ll find me on:

Instagram: emmaonlinetravel
Threads: emmaonlinetravel
TikTok: emmaonlinetravel

Or have a look around the site for more cruise reviews and travel guides.